Plate clamping mechanism



March 18, 1952 c. A. HARM-:ss ETAL PLATE CLAMPING MECHANISM 2 SHEETS-SMT 1 Filed Nov. 4, 1948 5 M T m V W.

MarCh 18, 1952 c. A. HARLEss ETAL 2,590,010

PLATE CLAMPING MECHANISM Filed NOV. 4, 1948 2 SIEETS-fSPEET 2 MMM Patented Mar. 18, 1952 UNITED STATES PLATE CLAMPING MECHANISM Charles A. Harless, Riverside, and Thomas H. Johnson, Rowayton, Conn., assignors to R. Hoe & Co., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November el, 1948, Serial No.l 58,202

Claims'.

This invention relates to plate clamping mecha; nism for printing cylinders.

An object of the invention is to provide plate clamping mechanism having improved means for locking the parts in clamping relationship while releasing the same in a simple and rapid manner for operation.

With this and still other objects which will appear in the following description in mind, the invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts and details of construction which will now rst be fully described in connection with the accompanying drawing and will then be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a View in end elevation of a cylinder embodying the invention in a preferred form of embodiment;

Figures 2, 3 and 4. are sections on the respective radial lines 2, 3 and 4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the mechanism of Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 but with parts removed and showing other parts in a different position of adjustment.

In the cylinder selected for purposes of illustration, the plate clamping mechanism is operated by means of axially movable yokes, which in turn are moved' by circumferentially movable cam members. The plate clamping mechanism may engage either against the curved edges of the plates or beneath the plates. Details of suitable cylinder structure and clamping mechanism are fully shown in Ball Patent No. 2,066,192, Horton Patent No, 1,985,628 and Dressel et al. application Serial No. 697,658. Such details accordingly are not repeated herein, only so much thereof having been shown as is necessary to a full understanding of the present invention.

The cylinder, designated generally by the numeral I, is adapted to carry stereotype plates, the end of such a plate 2 being indicated in phantom in Figures 3 and 5. The plates 2 are clamped by means of clamp members 3, which in turn are moved relatively to the plates by rods 4, the rods 4 being moved parallel to the cylin- ,der axis by means of the yokes 5, asindicated in Figures 3 and 5. Each yoke 5 is held against circumferential movementwhile permitting axial movement, by pins 6, as indicated in Figures 1 and 4, and carries a plurality of rotatable rollers 1, which in turn lit within cam slots B of a circumferentially movable operating member 9. The

cylinder selected for illustration is of the type in which two plates are carried around the cylinder so that the structure at the top half oi Figure 1 is reduplicated by the bottom half, and accordingly only the upper half is shown in detail in the drawings. The operating member 9 is formed cutout 26 to form a socket ,forV receiving the member 3.

(Cl. lOl-378) `with an inner flange I0 engagingr in a groove in duced part l2. The yoke 5 holds the member 3 down and, in consequence. circumferential movement of the member 9 is permitted, while axial and radial movement are prevented. The mem-Y ber 9 is cut out as indicated in Figures 1, 2 5 and 6 so as to receive a transversely slidable locking member 23 and a cover plate 2|, fastened to the member 3 by screws 22, holds the member 26 in position in the member 3. Sincethe movement of the operating member in the embodilment shown is circumferential, the movement of the locking member 20 transversely thereof is radial. Member 20 is formed with an abutment 23 (Figures 2 and 5) for engagement by a wrench 25, indicated in phantom in Figure 2 and in section in Figure 6, and the cover plate 2l has a wrench 25. Member 2 l being fastened to operating member 3, forms in effect an integral part thereof so that inserting the Wrench in the cutout 26 formsa solid connection for turning the The member 20 is urged radially outward to the position of Figure Z by springs 30 (Figure) and is formed with teeth 3| (Figures 2 and 5) which engage in recesses 32 in the overhanging part 33 of the fixed member Il when member 20 is in its outward position, so that member 20 and in consequence member 9, are locked against circumferential movement. Accordingly, unless the wrench 25 has been inserted, the parts will be locked in the position of Figures 1 and 5, which is the plate .clamping position.

In Figure 6 the parts 2D, 2i and 25 are shown in the unclamped position and are sectioned. The yoke 5 is removed so as to show certain details of construction more clearly. A plunger 35 is carried in a bore in the member 2D as indicated in Figures 2 and 6. The rear end of this plunger engages against a beveled surface 36 formed on the operating member 9 in alignment with the `plunger 35 when the parts are in clamped position, and the forward end of this plunger is adapted to enter a socket 3l in the Wrench 25. The end of plunger 35 entering the socket 31 in the wrench 25 and the socket 31 are correspondingly rounded, off, so thatv the plunger 35 may align the wrench slightly as necessary to permit entering the socket and the withdrawal of the wrench with the other parts in the position of Figure 2 will force the plunger 35 backwardly into the position of that figure, thus permitting removal of the wrench. V

Another spring pressed plunger 40 is carried in a bore 39 in the member 20 and is pressed into a recess 4l in the cam plate 2|' (Figure l5'), to

prevent radial movement of the member 20 when in clamped position.

When the wrench 25 is inserted to unclamp the plate, it will rst engage the plunger 40 and push it backward in the bore 39, thus releasing the member 2U from its locked engagement with the cover plate 2|. Further inward motion of the wrench engages the abutment 23 and forces the locking member 20 radially inward. At the same time the rear end of the plunger 35 rides down the bevel 36 and its opposite end engages the socket 3l, thus preventing removal of the wrench 25'unless the parts are in the clamped position of Figure 2.

When the locking member 2D has been pushedl inward as far as it will go, the teeth 3| are below' the overhanging part 33 of the member in which the recesses 32 are formed, thus clearing theteeth from engagement with these,recesses and permitting circumferential movement of the operating member to unclamping position. When the parts have been moved only slightly toward the unclamping position, the teeth 3| will no longer be in registry with the recesses 32 of member but will be under the overhang 33, so that outward movement ofthe member 2D and the wrench are prevented. Movement of the parts brings them to the position of Figure 6, in which the operating member 9 has been rotated so as tomove the member 5 outwardly to a position indicated in phantom in Figure `6.

As shown in Figure 2, a' bore in the yoke 5 is capped -by ascrew plug 42 which forms an abutment for a spring 43 that presses a plunger 44 against a ball 45. The ball rides on the peripheral surface of the operating member 9 when the parts are in theclampedposition. When the parts are in the unclamped position, the locking member 20 has been pressed radially inward so its periphery is ush with the periphery of the operating member 9. The yoke 5-is then over the locking member 2U, as indicated in Figure 6, and the ball 45 is pressedrinto a shallow cavity 46 in the locking memberZ and holds the parts in unlocked position..V Y

., Operation Assuming the parts to be in locked position or the position of Figures 2 and 5 and that it is desired to unclampthe plates, wrench 25 is inserted in the socket 26,asindicated in Figure 2. Further insertion of the wrench presses the member 20 radially inward so that teeth 2| are cleared to permit circumferential movement of the member 20. vAt'the Sametime the plunger 40 is forced into itsfpo'sition in Figure 6 and plunger 35 enters the socket 31,locking the wrench against removal. The wrench is now Yused to move the parts to the position .of Figure .6 so that the plates may be removed and new plates inserted. 'I'he wrench is now used in the reverse direction, restoring the parts to the-position of Figure 5, so that the parts are again Vin clamping-position and the wrench may -then be removed. Upon removal of the Wrench, plunger 40 locks members 20 and 2| together and teeth` 3| engage in the recesses 32, thus locking all 'the parts directly or indirectly to the fixed member and against circumferential movement. As will be apparent, the only movement required for unlocking the elements is the insertion of the wrench 25 and the wrench cannot be removed unless the parts are in fully clamped position, thus indicating at all times to the pressman whether the platesare clamped or not.

What is claimed is: Y.

1.'In a plate cylinder, and in combination, a plate clamp operating member having a socket for receiving a wrench and movable thereby, in a direction transverse to the direction of wrench insertion into the socket, between a clamping position and unclamping position, a locking member slidably carried by the operating member and positioned for movement by the wrench and parallel therewith upon insertion thereof in the socket, a plunger slidably carried by the locking member for movement into and out of the socket and in a direction transverse to the direction of wrench insertion, and a cooperating bevel on the operating member for forcing the plunger into the socket to hold the wrench therein upon movement of the locking member by the Wrench being inserted in the socket, the surface of the operating member beyond the bevel abutting against the plunger to hold the same within the socket.

2. The combination according t0 claim 1, comprising also a spring pressed plunger slidable transversely of the locking member, for locking the operating member thereto against movement toward unclamping position, the said spring pressed plunger extending across the socket in position for engagement by the Wrench inserted therein and being movable thereby to disengage the operating member.

3. In a plate cylinder, and in combination, Va plate clamp operating member having a radial socket for receiving a wrench and movable circumferentially thereby between a clamping position and an unclamping position, a radially movable locking member slidably carried by the operating member and positioned for movement by the Wrench upon insertion thereof in the socket, a plunger slidably carried by the locking member for axial movementl into 'and out of the socket, and a cooperating bevel on the operating member for forcing the plunger into the socket to hold the wrench therein upon movement of the locking member by the wrench being inserted in the socket, the surface of the operating member below the bevel abutting against the plunger to hold the same within the socket.

4. The combination according to claim 3, comprising also an overhanging member fixed to the cylinder Vand engageable by the locking member in radially outward position for locking the same and overlying the locking member in radially inward position, whereby circumferential movement of the locking member is permitted and the locking member is held in radially inward position when moved circumferentially away from clamping position.

5. The combination according to claim 3, com- I prising also an axially slidable spring pressed plunger carried by the locking member, extending into the socket in engagement with the operating member to hold the same to thelocking member against movement from clamping position toward REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

